Testimony on HB 188 — Jenelle Vincent

Summary

Testimony from Jenelle Vincent, who identifies as a resident of Shaker Heights, stating strong opposition to HB 188. The testimony says the bill opens the door to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars into a foreign partnership with the State of Israel and cites recent SNAP cuts and community needs in Ohio. It states that the bill contains no independent oversight, no competitive process and no clear safeguards to ensure accountability or public benefit, and that it creates a board of political appointees. It urges the committee to reject HB 188.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Cite this document

“Testimony on HB 188 — Jenelle Vincent.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-10-29-development-testimony-testimony-12213-942fa8f8ca/, SHA-256 3a510dfc6c0d55ae0c990886ebb2af509b18904350db841c3a435588660d7079.

Full text

My name is Jenelle Vincent and I am a resident of Shaker Heights. I am writing to express my
strong opposition to HB 188. This bill opens the door to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars into a
foreign partnership with the State of Israel. As someone who organizes around food justice in
Cleveland, I can see so many places where our tax dollars could be used to help the
community, especially with the latest SNAP cuts. This bill authorizes money for a relationship
with Israel, which will take much-needed funding away from our own state.

Ohio communities are in desperate need for resources, as I have seen through my work as a
nurse and a community organizer. This is not the time to be prioritizing a trade relationship with
a country with a very unstable financial situation. This bill contains no independent oversight, no
competitive process, and no clear safeguards to ensure accountability or public benefit. It also
creates a biased board of political appointees who have vested interest in relationships with
Israel but excludes Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab voices.

Most importantly, it disgusts me that our lawmakers are prioritizing a relationship with a foreign
state that has been committing a genocide, as recognized by several organizations including
Amnesty International, the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and the International
Association for Genocide Scholars. A trade partnership with Israel signals Ohio’s approval for
these actions and makes Ohioans complicit in these human rights atrocities.

I strongly believe we should focus on Ohio’s local economy and invest in resources and
businesses in our own communities. Ohioans cannot meet their basic needs while this bill sends
money and power to a foreign country. I urge the committee to reject HB 188.

File and source

File: 2025-10-29_development_testimony_testimony-12213.pdf
Size: 100,683 bytes
SHA-256: 3a510dfc6c0d55ae0c990886ebb2af509b18904350db841c3a435588660d7079
Our copy: 2025-10-29_development_testimony_testimony-12213.pdf
Original: No public link identified.